Thread:

Silicone aplication question

I was wondering, when I put all the hardware on the boat, fins, rudder, water pickup tubes, I used silicone , And when I applied it, I just put it on the part. , then I bolted it down , all the silicone squeezed out and I wiped the excess off. I was told that the correct way to do this was to not tighten it down all the way, and let it set up over night, then go back and tighten down all the way this creates a gasket . I did not do this , the last time we put all the stuff on the boat they didn't even use silicone, they used some two part epoxy stuff that you would mix together, it dried hard as he'll and didn't flex like silicone. The question is will it be ok how I did it, I never let it set up I just tightened it down , I really don't want it all to leak, I could pull it all off and do it again , but I think it would be ok but wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with this,

They way you did it is the way i have always done it and have never had a problem, i have never heard of letting it cure and then tightening.jmo

Originally Posted by obie

They way you did it is the way i have always done it and have never had a problem, i have never heard of letting it cure and then tightening.jmo

Thanks alot for the reply!, I had never heard of that either, I went to california for work and a guy over there told me that you should apply the silicone and snug it up to where the silicone squeezes out, but not to tighten all the way, then let sit over night. The next day he said then tighten it up and cut the excess off, this creates a gasket. i am using starbrite marine silicone, I called and one guy told me that , thats the right way to do it(let it sit, then tighten), and then I spoke with some other guy and he told me to do it the way i did it, soooooo If you never had problems then im leaving it alone! I think I might have asked this a long time ago? cant remember, but the reason I asked now was because I took a water pick up off, then I put it back , and then I thought about what that guy told me, but it was to late, ohh well , sorry for the long post, but thanks

Originally Posted by OFFSHORE GINGER

I, have worked at four different Boat Co's over the last 40 plus years now ,and each and everyone has always applied an ample amount of caulk or Silcone to the deck ,hardware etc, along with fastening the hardware down very snug wipeing of the excess caulk with mineral spirts .

Thanks for the feed back, sorry to ask such a kinda stupid question, but I had never heard of letting the silicone set over night before you tighten it all the way down. , I think its ok the way I did it, and after the feed back I feel alot better, the only thing Im worried about now is, I had my 12yr old daughter tighten the water pick up nut on the inside , while I held it from moving on the bottom of the boat, I think she got it tight enough i would have tightened it but she couldnt hold it from moving on the bottom, I was able to turn it a little after she got it, at least if it leaks i have an escape goat

v-drive and pick up tubes,